Share

Mental Health Care

Washington Report
(July 28, 2015) A bill passed Monday by the House would improve access to Veterans Affairs benefits for members of the military who have been sexually assaulted.
According to the Associated Press, the law says a statement by a survivor of military sexual assault would "be... Read more

Washington Report
(July 14, 2015) Suicides in the National Guard during the first three months of 2015 were up from the same time period one year ago, according to the Defense Department Quarterly Suicide Report. The report also shows a drop in the number of suicides in both the active component... Read more

Washington Report
(June 9, 2015) NGAUS is closely watching the Senate debate this week of the fiscal 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, which includes an amendment that would give official veteran status to thousands of National Guard retirees who now fall outside the federal definition.
This... Read more

Washington Report
(June 9, 2015) The Senate voted recently to expand a program of the Department of Veterans Affairs that gives more veterans access to private care. The unanimous vote allows veterans to use the VA Choice program if they live within 40 miles of a VA facility that provides limited... Read more

Washington Report
(April 28, 2015) The Department of Veterans Affairs has changed an oddly worded requirement for use of its Choice Card, which gives veterans the option of seeking health care from a civilian provider.
Until last week, a veteran who used the card had to live at least 40 miles "as... Read more

Washington Report
(April 7, 2015) A study released last week found that duty in the war zones of Afghanistan and Iraq does not add to the risk of suicide. In fact, it found that military members who leave the service before the end of their first enlistments are most at risk.
The study by the... Read more

Washington Report
(March 31. 2015) Legislation now in Congress eases the burden of proof for military victims of sexual assault who seek help from the Department of Veterans Affairs for mental stress caused by the attack.
Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., introduced the Ruth Moore Act last week. It would... Read more

Washington Report
(March 24, 2015) At the urging of the NGAUS legislative director, lawmakers promised last week to investigate a disability-compensation claim process that seems to favor active-component members over those in the National Guard and Reserve.
Retired Col. Pete Duffy brought up the... Read more

Washington Report
(March 3, 2015) NGAUS supports additional choices for health care for National Guard members who are enrolled in TRICARE, but more information about costs is necessary before the association would feel comfortable eliminating TRICARE, the NGAUS president told senators last week.... Read more